Renegades honour D-Day fallen

The Renegades youth club took part in a very special vigil at the Wisborough Green cenotaph to mark D-Day.

“This was something incredibly important for the children to do and understand. We explained the significance and details of Operation Overlord to the kids, but we also made sure they grasped the relevance of it today. War needs to be remembered to stop war starting,” says Group Leader Gareth Miller.

“We were met by the lovely Covey family who brought their two Hotchkiss Willis jeeps – Eisenhower said it was one of the four pieces of kit that won the war – and the children decorated memorial sticks with poppies and personal messages to the fallen. It was incredibly emotional, and I hope it will be something the kids remember.”

Earlier in the month, the kids got into “deer straits” when they learned how to skin one of the West Sussex’s most prolific and problematic wild creatures.

“Although they are very beautiful and much loved, the deer population in the county has mushroomed because they have no natural predator and as a result their numbers have to be managed,” says Group Leader Gareth Miller. “Their eating and destructive habits, together with the fact they can spread disease to other animals, has a significant impact on the bottom line for farmers and foresters, so it is important for the children to understand the wider context.

“A fantastically supportive local farmer very kindly donated a roe deer for the children to skin and bone – and they absolutely loved the whole experience. The first night was spent skinning then carving the deer, and then we went on to make and eat venison burgers, so the kids really saw it from farm to fork,” he said.

The skinning took place outside the village hall in Kirdford, which is our new home on a Tuesday evening for both Rascals (age 7-9) and Renegades (10-18) and where everyone has been incredibly welcoming.

The good recent weather also means that we have been able to get out a lot on the canal and the river with the canoes. “It’s heartening to see young people, who had never done any paddling before, now able to execute the J stroke and confidently manage their canoe on water that has both current and tide. As we paddle, we get to see nature from some really amazing perspectives.”

District councillors Gareth Evans and Charles Todhunter kindly invited us to a charity networking function in Chichester, which was extremely helpful and useful to see how Chichester district is helping and supporting people.

We have also now done some home education sessions and will be trialling two sessions a week within the next three weeks. This will involve art, drama, photography, paddling, bushcraft, carpentry and archery.

The Renegades is a Registered Charity. Membership is free so contact Gareth on 07801 862550 for a taster session